Awoken

1955; We were so young but I was still shorter than he was. Giggles of young laughter filled our surroundings as the brown leaves gently swirled up with the wind. We danced as if our lives depended on it. The wind was quick to flow through our hair. We knew no better than to be together, that was all. He was just another friend to me. Just a supporter through my hard times but I never knew he would have become so much more. It was time to go home, the sun started to hide behind the trees in the distance. It was cold but my heart was warm as we ran through the woods to get to our neighborhood. As he looked at me and I returned my eyes, the sun kept dying down. "See you next week!" He whispered to me as we parted our hands to go our separate ways. I always looked forward to that dance in the mid woods, to escape from everything and everyone. 1985; The cold snow fell swiftly down his smooth neck unto his shirt as he looked towards him into my eyes. There was so much hurt there, for the both of us. We awaited each others blink and continued to look as if we were speaking in our minds. His hand slowly covered my waist as his other hand cuffed mine. We danced for hours with no music but our own. The crunch from the fallen snow was met with each step we took as we continued to stare into each others eyes. At this moment, I had convinced myself that we would be together forever. No one knew what we had gone through that prior year but us and we liked it that way. "I will give you everything you deserve, you're safe with me," His gentle voice broke through our silence as we rocked back and forth. Soon, his hands broke from mine as he reached out to the sky and shouted, "We can make a home, right here, right now!" I looked at him with a twisted arranged face as he walked back up to me and continued with his bargain. "Think about it, we met here, we come here once a week and have always came here since we met. This is our place, our secret, our safe haven." The more he talked, the more my heart became warm again. I could feel his motivation and his idea soon was met with my thoughts. It was quiet at first as I looked around our area. Snow fell from the branches and as I watched it fall I started tracking a line with my eyes from that spot towards the road ahead. He looked at me puzzled and I soon answered, "We could create a path from this spot towards the road." As he started to listen to me speak, a grin started to form across his face. We both started speaking back and forth in conversation. It was the ideas that brightened up each others eyes. Who knew what we were going to be faced with next. Who knew? 2015, we were at the same place only this time, we looked weaker. His once smooth and young neck had aged. Hands still intertwined, they were filled with wrinkles and so was our faces. Dancing to nothing but the wind, my head still slid perfectly under his chin as he gently laid his head on mine. Our eyes closed gently, continuing to swiftly dance back and forth. Behind us was the house we decided on together. There was that old truck he had since he obtained his license. The swings were there on the side of the house looking a little rusty. Oh man our rocking chairs and wooden table that we both made together was sitting on the porch. It was like the house was smiling at us dancing. The trees were bright and perky as the sun was shinning up high in the unclouded sky. To the world we were asleep, lost in each others presence. Little did they know that to us, we were more alive. We were, "Awoken..."

2017; It was the same scene... but, something was different. Not something, EVERYTHING!! The clouds hovered over the skies like a blanket hovering over a scared child at night. The wind blew harshly as thunder filled the skies. Around was nothing but broken branches and naked trees. The house didn't smile anymore and one of the rocking chairs had a broken leg. The swing squeaking loudly as the wind continued to blow. There I was, in the middle of our yard. I danced, twirled and swooped around like the wind did. Older guitars and symphonies played over and over in my head. I tortured myself with sad music I grew to know over time. My eyes were drowning in tears as my heart felt cold this time. My bones were shattering against each other and I was hunched over still fighting to give out one last dance. Where was he? Why am I only saying "I"?" He left me, he flew away. Oh my love why have you gone? As I danced, I remembered his sweet words to spoke to me through time. I reminisce about his loving touch against my hands and waist as we danced over the years. He fulfilled his life by giving me something to live for. He was my fallen angel and with him, only with him, I was alive. My legs became weak and that weakness reached up to my arms. Shaking, I started to cry worse as if I was stabbed in the heart. My gray hair that was once tied into a bow started to break free and flow in the wind. I stopped in the middle of what use to be "our" yard and stood there wobbling. My heart started to tremble at the sound of the thunder as I began to fall. Someone caught me before I hit the floor. Greeted by this warm hand I started to gasp for air. I look up to see who was brave enough to save an old woman like me from falling completely. "My love?" I asked in shock and fear of seeing this younger image of what seemed to be my late husband. No, this wasn't him, it couldn't be. "Mom, I got you, it's okay!" His voice sounded like yours my love. His face felt like yours, but it wasn't you. It was your son, my son, our handsome son. "I know mom, I miss him too, come on get up and let me dance with you." He kindly said helping me on my feet. His hand reached out for mine and locked. His chin touched the top of my head as his other hand wrapped around my back. Suddenly, my heart was warm again and my bones were shaking anymore. We swayed in the wind as the rain continued to fall. There we were, my son and I. The house looked as if it grinned, still sad that my husband wasn't there. Suddenly I didn't feel alone anymore as I was greeted by others. A little girl and a beautiful fair women. "Granny, I love you!" That sweet voice was what brought my tears back as I looked down and said, "I love you too my dear!" Us four started to rock back and forth with the storm, my family, my heart, my home.